Grace Tan

Professional Memberships

Member, Law Society of Singapore

Member, Singapore Academy of Law

Practice Areas

Dispute Resolution

Insurance & Reinsurance

Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation

Investigation & Fraud

Expert in these Jurisdictions

Singapore

Experience

Grace has had the privilege of acting as counsel in trials and hearings at all levels in the Singapore Courts, as well as hearings in the Ministry of Manpower and Strata Title Board.

Throughout her career, Grace has handled a wide range of cases, including those related to insurance law. She is well-versed in both contentious and non-contentious aspects of insurance, providing advice and representation in areas such as Workmen Compensation, Public Liability, GPA policies, Medical Negligence, Contractors’ All Risks, Industrial All Risks, Business Interruption, Directors & Officers Liability, Errors & Omissions Liability, General Liability, Fidelity Insurance, Product Liability, and Professional Indemnity insurance.

Grace assists insurers in matters concerning natural catastrophe insurance coverage and shipowners’ concerns, ensuring their interests are protected and risks mitigated in cross-border disputes. She also regularly advises reinsurers on energy related claims in the South-East Asia region.

Grace takes pride in her ability to navigate complex legal proceedings with care and achieve favourable outcomes for her clients. She has successfully represented them in mediations and demonstrated her commitment to resolving disputes outside of the courtroom whenever possible. Grace has also obtained complete dismissals of dubious or falsified accident claims in both the Labour Court and High Court. Grace also regularly acts in the defence of legal practitioners for alleged professional negligence.

Besides insurance focused work, Grace has also advised and acted in defamation claims arising out of D&O policies, director disputes, general commercial matters as well as wet shipping disputes. She has also been entrusted with subrogated recovery claims involving water and fire damage, as well as acting in claims involving travel and personal accident fraud cases.

She regularly acts in high profile complex property and casualty claims, managing all relevant stakeholders. She is the preferred counsel of choice for property and casualty work for statutory boards and prominent public companies.

Additionally, she has developed a strong practice in investigations, particularly in combatting insurance fraud. Grace’s passion for her work in the insurance field has been recognised by the media in various reports.

Grace is also ranked as a Notable Practitioner in AsiaLaw – Insurance 2023-2024 and a Recommended Lawyer in The Legal 500 2023-2024 for Insurance: Local Firms.

Clients

• AIG Asia Pacific Insurance Pte Ltd

• Allianz Insurance Singapore Pte Ltd

• Allied World Assurance Company Ltd

• China Taiping Insurance (Singapore) Pte Ltd

• Crawford & Company

• Ergo Insurance Pte Ltd

• HSBC Life (Singapore) Pte Ltd

• HDI Global SE Singapore

• HL Assurance Pte Ltd

• Income Insurance Limited

• India International Insurance Pte Ltd

• MS First Capital Insurance Limited

• MSIG Insurance (Singapore) Pte Ltd

• QBE Insurance (Singapore) Pte Ltd

• SMRT Corporation and SMRT Trains Ltd

• Tokio Marine Insurance Singapore Ltd

• United Overseas Insurance Limited

Work Highlights

She has acted in the following notable cases and reported Judgments, amongst others:

Chan Chui Yoke v Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council [2023] SGDC 27 – Lead counsel in a trial and successfully defended the Town Council, which included the successful defence of volenti non fit injuria.

Mondal Indrajit v QBE Insurance (Singapore) Pte Ltd [2023] SGMC 5

Chan Hui Peng v Public Utilities Board [2022] SGHC 232

Khan Mohammad Razib v Ocean Continental Pte Ltd [2021] SGDC 180

Chong Chye Kong v Chin Chee Poh [2017] SGDC 197

SGB Starkstrom Pte Ltd v Commissioner for Labour [2016] 3 SLR 598;

Kang See Wha and another v Pledge Protection Services Asia Pte Ltd and anor [2015] SGDC 50;

Patrick Wee Hock Chye v Jason Low Kok Sum [2015] SGSTB 1;

Successfully defended NUS in the High Court and on appeal to the Court of Appeal in a case involving a deceased who drowned while swimming in a swimming pool owned by NUS in BNM v National University of Singapore and others and another appeal [2014] 4 SLR 931 and BNM v National University of Singapore and anor [2014] 2 SLR 258, [2014] SGHC 5;

Successfully defended SMRT Trains Ltd & the Land Transport Authority in the High Court and on appeal to the Court of Appeal in a high profile case where a Thai girl fell onto the train tracks and lost both her legs in BNJ v SMRT Trains Ltd and anor [2014] 2 SLR 7;

Boey Chun Hian (by his guardian and next friend, Boey Ghim Huat) v Singapore Sports Council (Neo Meng Yong, third party) [2013] SGHCR 15;

Successfully defended Shangri-La Hotel in a claim by an American multi-millionaire for the alleged loss of a 6.41 carat diamond ring in Bass Anne Hendricks v Shangri-la Hotel Ltd [2012] 1 SLR 365;

Successfully defended the Defendants in a claim for defamation in Indranil Ray Chaudhury v Debasis Tarafdar and Chaitali Tarafdar [2012] SGDC 442;

SAAG Oilfield Engineering (S) Pte Ltd v Shaik Abu Bakar bin Abdul Sukol and anor and anor appeal [2012] 2 SLR 189;

Advised reinsurers in various CGL claims involving but not limited to renewable energy plants in Vietnam, Thailand, China;

Acting for insurers in a claim involving an energy company and a breakdown of turbine generator;

Appointed by major stakeholders in the industry to carry out white-collar investigations into potential systemic insurance fraud;

Advised insurers in the collapse of the largest crane in Indonesia under a Machinery All Risks’ Policy;

Advised insurers on defalcation of large amounts of monies and stocks under Industrial Special Risks policies;

Advised reinsurers on significant damage to port arising from cyclone causing US$200 million of damage;

Represented PUB and its insurers in a highly publicised multi-million-dollar personal injury claim by a chartered accountant who fell into a manhole and claimed for damages for schizophrenia allegedly resulting from the incident. The Plaintiff accepted the Defendant’s Offer to Settle after 4 days of extensive cross-examination conducted by Grace, resulting in significant indemnity costs recovered;

Advised on a business interruption loss in excess of US$1 million arising from water damage to a microchip machine;

Represented SMRT and its insurers in a case for occupational disease arising from exposure to arsenic;

Acted for a well-known shipyard in a multi-million dollar arbitration involving damage to a vessel at sea;

Acted for a reputable F&B chain in an alleged mass food poisoning incident;

Acted for SMRT & LTA in a fatal incident involving a commuter at Fajar LRT station;

Acted in a High Court Suit against two former directors for breaches of their service agreements with the company;

Advised a well-known American sneaker brand on licensing issues and potential disgorgement of profits;

Acted in a Disposal Inquiry for the stolen watches from Cortina Raffles City;

Acted in claims arising from flash floods;

Acted in a defamation action involving an Association and its members, successfully defending the Association.

Languages Spoken

English, Mandarin

Education